Action+Research+Project

**Action Research Project**

** __ ESTABLISHING A NEED/PROBLEM __ **

__**MY FOCUS**__


 * The focus of my action research project will be working towards developing an ‘effective coaching model’ with a particular focus on the ‘//readiness’// of teacher to be coached. This is I believe, a __crucial factor__ in developing an effective coaching model. An effective coaching experience should result in //transfer// of the learning undertaken into the classroom with a visible //improvement in student outcomes// and be structured so as to promote //sustainable// collaborative learning within the school. I believe that there is a need for schools to develop a greater understanding of what coaching can do in an educational context and more specifically strategically identifying teachers who are 'ready' to be coached.**

**__MY PERSONAL CONNECTION__

After working as both a full time school based coach and full time regional based coach for four years I believe that research needs to be undertaken to explore the 'effectiveness' of coaching in a variety of school settings. This research I believe needs to focus on the TEACHER who is being coached. I have worked with many teachers over the last four years who were not READY to be coached. This has had devastating consequences to the successful implementation of coaching into schools. Often the teachers were too inexperienced and required curriculum/classroom management support so instead of coaching them I began mentoring them. I was then seen by many staff as a mentor and in this role found it extremely difficult to conduct cognitive coaching conversations. Many teachers I worked with were mandated to be coached and were extremely resistant to the process feeling that they were going to be judged or evaluated. The staff who were mandated were classified as being 'incompetent' and were placed in the hands of the coach to be 'fixed'. This sent a message to other teachers that coaching was an intervention for teachers who were not performing adequately. Any interest they may have had in participating in the coaching process disappeared as they would publicly be announcing that they were incompetent if they were working with the coach.**

**__COACHING IN A SCHOOL CONTEXT__

The term coaching has become a 'buzz' word in our schools over the last two years. Richard Elmore's evaluation of the Victorian school system highlighted the fact that professional learning needed to be based 'on site' and focused on our core business 'instruction'. This resulted in the development of professional learning communities where teachers would work with Instructional/Numeracy/Literacy coaches to 'look' and 'listen' to the learning occurring in their classrooms in an attempt to improve their practice and and ultimately the student outcomes. However as with any new innovation the department was unsure of how this would look in our schools and how it would be implemented. This has resulted in an inconsistent approach to how coaching is viewed by schools. There is a real need to consolidate our views of the role of a coach in a school. We need to determine the following factors; What does coaching look like in an educational setting? How is coaching related to the professional learning occurring in schools? Does every school have a trained coach? If not then who is responsible for providing this model of professional learning for teachers? Is peer coaching related to the work a of a coach?**

**__COACHING AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING__**


 * Previous research has indicated that Professional Learning should not fall into a 'one size fits all' approach - that it needs to cater to the individuals needs and interests. If this then is the case then wouldn't this apply to coaching as well? Coaching may not be the suitable model of professional learning for all teachers all the time? So if this is the case then what criteria has been used in schools to determine what teachers will be coached? How has the coaching model become a part of the school's professional learning agenda? When are teachers expected to work with a coach? If they work with a coach is this a part of their performance and development goals?**

__** TEACHER READINESS & SELF EFFICACY **__

**One of the first indicators that a teacher is ready to be 'coached' is their willingness to be coached. I am interested in exploring the other factors that can contribute to a teacher's readiness. Does the teachers' years of teaching experience affect their 'readiness' to be coached? Does a teacher need to have a high sense of self efficacy to possess the motivation and courage to embrace change and take risks in their classroom? Does a teacher need to have a good understanding of pedagogy and content pedagogy if they are going to be able to participate in cognitive conversations about the teaching and learning occurring in their classroom? In order for coaching to be an effective model of professional learning in our schools I believe that it is crucial that we explore the impact teacher ‘//readiness//’. Are there teachers who would benefit more from coaching than others if the purpose of coaching it to not only improve student outcomes but in the process develop reflective practitioners who are capable of leading and sustaining this change? ‘Readiness’ can consist of a number of factors; the teacher’s readiness for change, the teacher’s self efficacy and the impact this has on being coached and the teacher’s readiness to lead and sustain the model of reflective practice within their school.**


 * __ ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT No.1 (Semester 1 2009) __

This is my first Action Research Project submission. This document attached below details the context of my action research and identifies the team I will be working with and the manner in which the team plans to carry out the research. The second part of this document begins to review the literature that is related to my action research and highlights the similarities and differences in the research carried out in the article and the subsequent findings. **




 * __ Action Research Model __ **
 * The action research model pictured below is the model that I will be using to conduct my action research. In my journey so far I have completed Step 1, and have identified an issue and developed a research question and am currently in the process of completing Step 2 by learning more about my issue through a comprehensive review of the literature surrounding my issue. When this is completed I will have a greater understanding of how to develop a strategy for my study and will begin to plan ways of collecting and analysing various forms of data. **




 * __Action Research Resources__**

@http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arhome.html []